FINDING JOY IN TIME OF AFFLICTION

 

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” -Romans 15:4 KJV

Truth is everyone goes through one form of affliction in life. However, the effect of each affliction is determined by the light of Scripture that a person has. The first way that God comforts the afflicted is through scriptures. What scripture do you know and believe concerning your situation? 

Look for God’s word of comfort and speak it to your soul as often as you can. It releases comfort that gives you hope. For example, when I was bereaved, I saw that Jesus said Lazarus was sleeping. Using the word sleep instead of death was comforting. Sleep puts the picture that he will wake up again. The hope of waking up made grieving easy and brief.

READ ALSO: LIVING IN THE SPIRIT

Let scriptures paint pictures in your heart that gives you comfort and hope rather than the language of the world that paints hopelessness in the mind. The next way God gives comfort is to listen to positive testimony of those who have successfully passed through such afflictions. You can go online and search for books on such afflictions. Rather than moaning and imagining the worst, read and think on scripture and draw the comfort of it. I discovered in reading books that many people including men of God have gone through similar afflictions before and come out standing. I was comforted knowing it is not me alone but as many as God has destined for such affliction. Tomorrow, we’ll explore why good people suffer more. 

PRAY: Dear Lord, teach me how to squeeze comfort for my soul from scriptures.